Introducing, the BLW/ZT Illinois Central City of New Orleans 3 Decade Pack!
Gaetan and Rick have worked to produce a set that accurately depicts the
City of New Orleans (CoNO) as it looked in 1948, 1958 and 1968.
The set is compatible with both MSTS and Open Rails.
The set includes 23 locomotives and 70 cars.
The 1948 version of CoNO includes both new coaches and rebuilt RPO/baggage,
baggage/dorm, lunch/lounge, diner and tavern/lounge observation cars built
for the inaugural runs of this all-day coach train that covered the nearly
1,000 miles between Chicago and New Orleans in 15 hours and 55 minutes,
including 22 stops.
Train #1 left Chicago and Train #2 left New Orleans at 8:00 AM Central time,
arriving at the opposite terminal at 11:55PM the same day.
The cars built for the original 1948 CoNO are represented in this
set, with full skirts, car names and drop steps, enough for two
complete consists.
Motive Power - In the original orange, brown and yellow with extra
side stripes, green and white nose logo
- E6A #4001-A, #4001-B (previously released as Troop Train bonus)
- E7A #4007, #4011
- E7B #4101
Passenger cars:
- Two RPO/Baggage cars (#403 #404)
Two Baggage/Dormitory cars (#1903 #1904) with the diamond IC logo
and train name on the sides
Sixteen 56 seat coaches:
- #2614 BARONNE
- #2615 DAUPHIN
- #2616 DELGADO
- #2617 FELICIANA
- #2618 GENTILLY
- #2620 MAUREPAS
- #2622 TANGIPAHOA
- #2623 TULANE
- #2624 PONTALBA
- #2625 PONCHATOULA
- #2626 POYDRAS
- #2627 PLAQUEMINE
- #2631 SPRINGFIELD
- #2632 LITCHFIELD
- #2633 CLINTON
- #2636 KANKAKEE
Four 48 seat 'day-night' coaches:
- #2610 CHARTRES
- #2611 CALCASIEU
- #2612 CARONDELET
- #2613 CLAIRBORNE
Two Lunch/Lounge cars:
- #4200 CANAL STREET
- #4201 DE SOTO
Two Diners:
- #4106 JACKSON SQUARE
- #4107 LEE CIRCLE
Two Tavern/Lounge/Observation cars:
- #3305 MARDI GRAS
- #3306 AUDUBON CIRCLE
The cars 1958 CoNO shows the cars as modified, skirts removed,
fixed steps added, car names removed on all but the tavern/lounge
observation cars.
Motive Power - In the orange, brown and yellow with yellow, black
and green nose logo. Lower headlight twin-sealed beam, upper mars
light.
- E7A #4012, #4016 - rebuilt with new vents, and E8 style number boards
- E8A #4026, #4032
- E8B #4104
- E9A #4036, #4040
- E9B #4106
Two RPO/Baggage cars (#403 #404), skirts removed
Two Baggage/Dormitory cars (#1903 #1904), skirts and train name removed, fixed steps added
Eight 56 seat coaches, skirts and names removed, fixed steps added:
#2614, #2615, #2617,#2620, #2622, #2625, #2626, #2627
Four 48 seat 'day-night' coaches, skirts and names removed, fixed
steps added: #2610, #2611, #2612, #2613
Two Lunch/Lounge cars, skirts and names removed:
#4200, #4201
Two Diners, skirts and names removed:
#4106, #4107
Two Tavern/Lounge/Observation cars, skirts removed:
#3305 MARDI GRAS, #3306 AUDUBON CIRCLE
The cars 1968 CoNO uses the same cars as the 1958 with two exceptions.
Motive Power - In the simplified orange, brown and yellow with
yellow, black and white IC "Rail" logo, upper and lower headlights
twin sealed beam.
- E7A #4015, #4017 - rebuilt with new vents, and E8 style number boards
- E8A #4018, #4027
- E8B #4105
- E9A #4041, #4042
- E9B #4108
Two Dome Coaches (purchased from Missouri Pacific):
#2211, #2212
Two Tavern/Lounge/Observation cars, names removed:
#3305, #3306
Other Locomotives and rolling stock:
EMD SW7 - #9418. #9429
80' Streamlined Baggage Car (Orange, brown, yellow) - built for City of Miami
#1800, #1801
73' HW Baggage cars:
#755, #757, #800
60' HW Baggage car:
#675
73' RPO/Express:
#374
REAX Express Refrigerator cars:
#350, #429, #1227
We hope you enjoy this set, and apologize for the time it has taken
to produce it!
Special thanks to our testing crew, Stephane Benoit
(a.k.a. Bennycdn), David P Carleton, Uli Ehlers, Tim Spencer, Rick
Berg and Chris Parker.
Also thanks to Jeremy Hughes (aka Kazareh, aka Komachi) for the
original idea - in 2015!
Cincinnati Hamilton County Public Library for the Pullman reference
books including engineering drawings and photographs of CoNO
equipment
Robert J. Wayner and his book "Passenger Consists 1923-1973" for
the consist information
Matt Maloy (and his Dad) from Elvas Tower for prototype information
Gerry Storey for the OpenRails eng files
www.railfonts.com for some of the fonts used in this set
Rick Franzosa
BLW/ZosaTrains (C) 2020
BLW (Belanger Locomotive Works) (C) 2020
Purchase From BLW/ZT: Illinois Central City of New Orleans 3 Decade Pack
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